Paoli Mejias is ranked among the best in Latin Jazz, Rock and Salsa. His playing is powerful and energetic while being filled with soul and tradition. Completely self-taught, Paoli purchased his first set of congas at age twelve, inspired by records of conga legend Carlos ‘’Patato’’ Valdes and other Latin Jazz innovators. He would learn to play congas by imitating the sounds he heard on the records and was able to master conga playing without the benefit of an instructor.
Paoli has played with top jazz and salsa artists such as Tito Puente, Dave Samuels, Dave Valentin, Paquito d’Rivera, Chick Corea, David Sanchez, and Danilo Perez. Each of these called for Paoli to play on their records for his unique blend of melodic sensitivity and blinding technique.
From the moment he first stepped foot into New York's famous 'Birdland' jazz club in 1956, Martin Cohen fell in love with Latin Jazz music. An engineer by trade, when he discovered authentic Cuban percussion instruments could not be imported to the USA, Cohen began designing and building his own.
In 1964, Latin Percussion (LP) was officially born, and in the fifty years since, has become a household name for professional percussionists seeking the very best quality instruments, with a little visual flare to boot. LP's products have featured on many of the most recognisable recordings in the world, across a whole span of genres. With a staggering range of models from bongos and congas, to cowbells and shakers, and even hardware and accessories, Latin Percussion is one of the world's most trusted percussion brands.
